Character generating system and character generating method

1. A character generating system that generates a face of character displayed on a display unit as the presence in a virtual space by using a computer on the basis of face pickup image information of an object, wherein the computer includes: pickup image acquiring means that acquires the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to an image pasting area of a face texture of the character from pickup image information of the object stored in a predetermined storing section; texture generating means that fits the face pickup image information of the object acquired by the pickup image acquiring means into an entire area of the face texture, when all pixels in a predetermined correction area near a profile portion of the face texture are defined as target pixels respectively, calculates color information of each of the target pixel on the basis of color information of a predetermined number of pixels, except for the target pixel, serially arranged from the target pixel in the predetermined region, and generates the face texture in which the color information of the target pixels is replaced with calculated color information; and texture pasting means that pastes a head portion texture having the face texture generated by the texture generating means as a portion to a head portion shape model of the character.

2. The character generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the correction area includes a first correction area set near an upper profile portion and a lower profile portion of the face texture, a second correction area set near any one of side-surface profile portions of the face texture, and a third correction area set near the side-surface profile portion opposing the second correction area, and the texture generating means includes first correcting means that, when all the pixels in the correction area are defined as the target pixels respectively, sets first correction color information obtained by calculating an average value of color information of all the pixels, except for the target pixels, which surround the target pixels in a predetermined region as color information of the target pixel, and second correcting means that, when all the pixels in the second correction area and the third correction area are defined as the target pixels, sets second correction color information obtained by calculating an average value of the first correction color information of the predetermined number of pixels except for the target pixels serially arranged from the target pixels toward the side-surface profile portions as color information of the target pixels.

3. The character generating system according to claim 2 , wherein the computer further includes display control means that controls the display unit to display a plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the object on the display unit, and image pickup control means that controls an image pickup unit to photograph the object and stores the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, and the pickup image acquiring means interlocks the display control means and the image pickup control means, picks up an image of the object on the basis of selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and having a face matched with the face of the object while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and the object on the display unit, and acquires the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information.

4. The character generating system according to claim 3 , wherein the pickup image acquiring means causes the image pickup control means to adjust a white balance and an exposure on the basis of an image pickup environment of the object such that the pickup image information of the object the image of which is picked by the image pickup control means is the bright pickup image information.

5. The character generating system according to claim 3 , wherein the face parts include at least eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a face profile.

6. The character generating system according to claim 2 , wherein the computer further includes input control means that controls an input unit to input various pieces of information including the pickup image information of the object as input information to store the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, wherein the pickup image acquiring means interlocks the display control means and the input control means to acquire the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and the input pickup image information of the object on the display unit.

7. The character generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer further includes display control means that controls the display unit to display a plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the object on the display unit, and image pickup control means that controls an image pickup unit to photograph the object and stores the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, and the pickup image acquiring means interlocks the display control means and the image pickup control means, picks up an image of the object on the basis of selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and having a face matched with the face of the object while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and the object on the display unit, and acquires the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information.

8. The character generating system according to claim 7 , wherein the pickup image acquiring means causes the image pickup control means to adjust a white balance and an exposure on the basis of an image pickup environment of the object such that the pickup image information of the object the image of which is picked by the image pickup control means is the bright pickup image information.

9. The character generating system according to claim 7 , wherein the face parts include at least eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a face profile.

10. The character generating system according to claim 1 , wherein the computer further includes input control means that controls an input unit to input various pieces of information including the pickup image information of the object as input information to store the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, wherein the pickup image acquiring means interlocks the display control means and the input control means to acquire the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and the input pickup image information of the object on the display unit.

11. A character generating method that generates a face of character displayed on a display unit as a presence in a virtual space by using a computer on a basis of face pickup image information of an object, wherein the computer includes: (a) a step of acquiring the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to an image pasting area of a face texture of the character from pickup image information of the object stored in a predetermined storing section; (b) a step of replacing information in an entire area of the face texture with the face pickup image information of the object acquired in the step (a), when all pixels in a predetermined correction area near a profile portion of the face texture are defined as target pixels, calculating color information of each of the target pixels on the basis of color information of a predetermined number of pixels, except for the target pixel, serially arranged from the target pixel in the predetermined region, and generating the face texture in which the color information of the target pixels is replaced with calculated color information; and (c) a step of pasting a head portion texture having the face texture generated in the step (b) as a portion to a head portion shape model of the character.

12. The character generating method according to claim 11 , wherein the correction area includes a first correction area set near an upper profile portion and a lower profile portion of the face texture, a second correction area set near any one of side-surface profile portions of the face texture, and a third correction area set near the side-surface profile portion opposing the second correction area, and the step (b) includes a step (b1) of, when all the pixels in the correction area are defined as the target pixels, setting first correction color information obtained by calculating an average value of color information of all the pixels, except for the target pixels, which surround the target pixels in a predetermined region as color information of the target pixel, and a step (b2) of, when all the pixels in the second correction area and the third correction area are defined as the target pixels, setting second correction color information obtained by calculating an average value of the first correction color information of the predetermined number of pixels except for the target pixels serially arranged from the target pixels toward the side-surface profile portions as color information of the target pixels.

13. The character generating method according to claim 12 , wherein the computer further includes before the step (a), a step (d) of picking up an image of the object on the basis of selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and having a face matched with the face of the object while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the object on the display unit and storing the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, and in the step (a), on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information, the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit.

14. The character generating method according to claim 13 , wherein, in the step (d), a white balance and an exposure are adjusted on the basis of an image pickup environment of the object such that the pickup image information of the object the image of which is picked is the bright pickup image information.

15. The character generating method according to claim 13 , wherein the face parts include at least eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a face profile.

16. The character generating method according to claim 12 , wherein the computer includes, before the step (a), a step (e) of inputting the pickup image information of the object to store the pickup image information in the predetermined storing unit, and in the step (a), the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture is acquired from the pickup image information of the object stored in a predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information while displaying a plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the pickup image information of the object input in step (e) on the display unit.

17. The character generating method according to claim 11 , wherein the computer further includes before the step (a), a step (d) of picking up an image of the object on the basis of selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information and having a face matched with the face of the object while displaying the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the object on the display unit and storing the pickup image information of the object in the predetermined storing unit, and in the step (a), on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information, the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture from the pickup image information of the object stored in the predetermined storing unit.

18. The character generating method according to claim 17 , wherein, in the step (d), a white balance and an exposure are adjusted on the basis of an image pickup environment of the object such that the pickup image information of the object the image of which is picked is the bright pickup image information.

19. The character generating method according to claim 17 , wherein the face parts include at least eyes, a nose, a mouth, and a face profile.

20. The character generating method according to claim 11 , wherein the computer includes, before the step (a), a step (e) of inputting the pickup image information of the object to store the pickup image information in the predetermined storing unit, and in the step (a), the face pickup image information of the object corresponding to the image pasting area of the face texture is acquired from the pickup image information of the object stored in a predetermined storing unit on the basis of the selected face arrangement guide information selected from the plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information while displaying a plurality of pieces of face arrangement guide information representing arrangements of predetermined face parts and the pickup image information of the object input in step (e) on the display unit.